In this work, a low-cost multipoint fiber optic sensor system for real-time monitoring of the temperature distribution on transformer cores was demonstrated. The temperature sensors are based on multi-mode random air hole fibers infiltrated with CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. Quantum dots resided in multi-mode random-hole core regions can be optically excited by guided UV light with extremely high quantum efficiency. The photoluminescence intensity dependence on the ambient temperatures were used to gauge the local operational temperature of transformer under strong magnetic fields. Multiplepoint temperature sensing systems were developed by bundling quantum dots infiltrated random air hole fibers together. Using a low-cost UV diode laser as a light source and a CCD camera as detector, hundreds of fiber sensors can be interrogated at low cost. This multi-point fiber sensor system, which is free from electromagnetic interference, was used to monitor temperature fluctuation of transformer from the room temperature up to 96°C with better than 1°C accuracy. The proposed fiber optic sensing scheme could overcome the shortcomings of traditional electric sensors and provide a versatile and low-cost approach to map the temperature distribution of electric power systems such as transformers operated in strong electromagnetic fields.
This paper demonstrates optical fibers as high-temperature sensor platforms. Through engineering and onfiber integration of functional metal oxide sensory materials, we report the development of an integrated sensor solution to perform temperature and chemical measurements for high-temperature energy applications. Using the Rayleigh optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) distributed sensing scheme, the temperature and hydrogen concentration were measured along the fiber. To overcome the weak Rayleighbackscattering intensity exhibited by conventional optical fibers, an ultrafast laser was used to enhance the Rayleigh scattering by a direct laser writing method. Using the Rayleigh-enhanced fiber as sensor platform, both temperature and hydrogen reaction were monitored at high temperature up to 750°C with 4-mm spatial resolution.
High temperature solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) present a challenging harsh environment for sensor systems with temperatures above 800C and ambient hydrogen concentration potentially ranging from 0-100% across the cell’s anode. A strong gradient exists in both gas concentration and temperature from the fuel-inlet to outlet as fuel is consumed across the cell. We report a technique for measuring the spatial distribution of temperature along a solid-oxide fuel-cell interconnect channel using a distributed interrogation system coupled with a single-mode fiber optic thin-film evanescent wave absorption sensor. These sensors are to be operated inside an operating fuel-cell stack yielding spatially distributed measurements with sub-millimeter accuracy. Details are presented pertinent to the stable operation of silica optical fibers in the presence of high hydrogen concentration which can induce optical fiber losses. The stability of Rayleigh scattering centers is discussed with regard to the operational environment. The potential for extension of the approach to chemical (i.e. hydrogen) sensing as well as dual hydrogen/temperature sensor fabrication and stabilization are also briefly discussed.
A distributed feedback (DFB) fiber laser strain sensor was implemented to measure acoustic emission induced by the hydraulic fracturing process. A study of practical sensor mounting configurations and their characteristics was carried out to find a practical solution. Combining the suitable mounting configuration and ultrahigh strain sensitivity of the DFB fiber laser, the evolution of the hydraulic fracturing process was well monitored. This study shows that fiber lasers can be useful alternatives to piezoelectric sensors in the field of hydraulic fracturing for gas and oil extraction.
In this paper, we present a distributed fiber optic sensing scheme to study 3D strain fields inside concrete cubes during hydraulic fracturing process. Optical fibers embedded in concrete were used to monitor 3D strain field build-up with external hydraulic pressures. High spatial resolution strain fields were interrogated by the in-fiber Rayleigh backscattering with 1-cm spatial resolution using optical frequency domain reflectometry. The fiber optics sensor scheme presented in this paper provides scientists and engineers a unique laboratory tool to understand the hydraulic fracturing processes in various rock formations and its impacts to environments.
This paper presents fiber optical gas sensors based on nano-porous metal oxide functional materials for high-temperature energy applications. A solution-based approach was used to produce nano-porous functional metal oxide and their dopant variants as sensing films, which was integrated on high-temperature stable FBGs in D-shaped silica fibers and sapphire fibers. The Bragg grating peaks were used to monitor the refractive index change and optical absorption loss due to the redox reaction between Pd-doped TiO2 and hydrogen from the room temperature to 800°C. The experimental results show the sensor's response is reversible for hydrogen concentration between 0.1 vol.% to 5 vol. %. The response time of the hydrogen sensor is <8s.
We demonstrate that the refractive indices of important functional metal oxides (TiO2, SnO2, and ZnO) can be engineered “at will” for applications in photonics engineering. The tailoring of the refractive indices is accomplished by 3D nanostructuring in the sub-wavelength regime (50nm or less) using the method of block-copolymer templating combined with a low cost solution processing approach. Using this method, the index of refraction of the demonstrated metal oxides and their doped variants can be engineered to be as low as 1.25. We will present both numerical simulations and experimental data demonstrating the unrestricted integration of functional metal oxides with a D-shaped optical fiber for applications in chemical and biological sensing. Using the developed refractive index engineering scheme, we introduce a novel hydrogen sensor by integrating a palladium doped TiO2 nanomaterial with D-shaped optical fiber and provide sensor characterization up to 700°C for applications in the energy sector.
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